What are the Promises of God in the Bible?

What are the promises of God? God filled the Bible cover-to-cover with His promises. They take on many forms; from those given specifically to Israel, to promises of warning, and promises yet to come.

God revealed some promises in His Names- a promise of an attribute or a characteristic. God sealed every single promise with His Holy Authority. If He makes a promise, it is true. There is an incredible amount of encouragement in His promises!

How Many Promises of God are in the Bible?

I read that there are between 5,000 and 8,000 promises in the Bible. While we don’t know the exact number, we can all agree with King Solomon on the subject: 

“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” 1 Kings 8:56.

Praise God! Not one promise was left by the wayside unfilled. Does knowing this give you confidence in His promises?

While researching Promises of God quotes, I came across this one from author John Bunyan (author of Pilgrim’s Progress.) It sums up the enormous quantity of God’s promises and has me on the look-out for promises that unfold before me daily-

“The pathway of life is strewn so thickly with the promises of God that it is impossible to take one step without treading upon one of them.” 

 What God Has Promised

There is no specific Hebrew word for “promise.” We find words like “speak” and “say” that correlate to God’s promises. It’s impossible for God to lie, so if He said it, we know it is true.

God Fulfills His Promises

•When we read the story of Abraham in the Old Testament, we see God fulfilled each promise He made:

A promised land, a great nation, blessings, making his name great, divine protection and multiple descendants. (They didn’t match with Abraham’s timeline, but they did with God’s.)

•God always fulfills His promises in His time:

“But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son…” Galatians 4:4.

His timing is perfect. Don’t give up hope or begin to doubt Him. He will respond at just the right time.

God’s Promises Never Fail

•His promises are unfailing:

“You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord our God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled…” Joshua 23:14.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 ESV.

We probably all remember the promise of the rainbow God gave to never again flood the earth:

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds , and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth… Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” Genesis 9:13, 15b.

Every rainbow reminds God of his covenant too! (v14-15). He doesn’t need the reminder, we do, but isn’t is comforting to know He always remains faithful to His promises?

Great and Precious Promises

•Peter describes God’s promises as precious and magnificent–

“Through these, He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature…”  2 Peter 1:4 NASB.

God’s promises are based on His glory and goodness, therefore, they are not only reliable, but precious, and of great value.

The Promises of God are Yes and Amen

The Apostle Paul gives us another beautiful aspect of God’s promises.

He had found himself on the defensive with the Corinthians regarding a change of plans to visit. Some were accusing him of being untrustworthy and undermining his authority. 

Paul reminded the Corinthians that he preached a Jesus who is totally trustworthy and reliable. As His disciple, he also strived to be like Jesus.

Jesus was faithful and kept His promises; Paul was striving to follow in His footsteps. He explained it this way:

Yes, and Amen Meaning

“For the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No”, but in Him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. “ 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Every promise about the Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus. Amen!

First Promise in the Bible 

We see Jesus in God’s promises in Genesis 3:15 when God promises Satan, “He will crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” 

Jesus came to earth to live and die for our sins. His death on the cross was merely a bruise. His resurrection guarantees our eternal life with Him and a crushing defeat of Satan.

Last Promise in the Bible 

We find the “Yes” in Jesus’ last promise of the Bible in Revelation 22:20:

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

All God’s promises in the Bible are true and the last one is about Christ’s magnificent return in the future.

10 Promises of God with Bible Verses

We see over and over in Scripture that we are to “stand firm” in our faith- and for good reason! This world pushes and pulls us in many directions.

Our human nature weakens our resolve to keep our eyes on Jesus. Our focus gets hazy.

Standing firm on the promises of God is a wonderful spiritual exercise to combat all the fear and discouragement we face in times of trouble.

Here are 10 of His beautiful promises to bring you peace and hope.

1) I Am with You Always 

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.

This promise brings an incredible amount of strength and perfect peace, especially when fear and doubt spring up.

Jesus’s promise of His constant presence in our lives means we are never out of His sight; He will never leave us. His protection, guidance and comfort are as near as a whispered prayer.

2) Plans to Prosper You

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV.

God thinks about YOU, and has plans for YOU, His beloved child. He never wishes ill will or pain into our lives.

It’s easy to forget this promise when pain, suffering, and hardships come. His plan is to give you peace, hope and encouragement through those times and teach us to rely heavily on Him.

3) Supply Your Every Need

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26.

Don’t underestimate the value God places on your life. We can only begin to understand how much He loves and cares for us.

Don’t hesitate to ask Him for what you need and likewise, do not worry about the material things of life.

4) No Condemnation

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1.

This does not stop Satan from condemning us and bringing up our past mistakes and sin.

This promise shuts down the voices of shame and guilt in our life. Jesus has declared us not guilty and offers us freedom from sin and gives us the power to do His will!

5) My Grace is Sufficient

“… My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

This promise from God gives us courage and strength when we need it most- during the hard times of our life. God’s grace (His love and mercy in action) is sufficient.

It doesn’t remove our trial but strengthens us to carry it or walk through it. He promises to always fill in for our insufficiencies.

Hold tightly to this promise and grow in your relationship with Him!

6) The Lord Will Fight for You

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14.

Moses gave the terrified Israelites this promise when the Egyptian army approached. We have this same promise at our disposal when we feel terrified or trapped.

Choose to believe in His help instead of turning to despair (losing hope), fear (running away), or impatience (this breeds frustration and anger.)

Our cause is never hopeless. God promises to always fight for and with us against our foes.

7) His Love Endures Forever

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26.

Psalm 136 is called “the never-ending story of God’s love.” His love is endless, never-failing, shows kindness and mercy, and comes from a well that never runs dry.

He proved His abundant love by giving up His own Son for us. There is no One who will ever love you more!

8) I Will Give You Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

What a beautiful invitation and promise from Jesus! Jesus has true, inner rest for us, no matter what wearisome burden we carry.

He promises to partner with us and help us in our time of need. When we have complete trust in His ability to do this, He brings us into His perfect rest.

9) Forgiveness of Sin

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28.

The Father allowed His beloved Son to die so we could receive pardon for our sins. This new covenant made us all acceptable in God’s eyes.

This promise is for all- whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ receives forgiveness.

10) Promise of Eternal Life

“Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24.

“In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me.” John 14:2-3a.

Living forever with God begins the moment we believe. This promise is a free gift of God that costs us nothing, yet He had to give up His only Son to make a way of escape for us.

It was God’s plan to save us from our sin and give us a new life that stretches into eternity.

Claiming the Promises of God 

We have only scratched the surface of the promises of God. These great promises and many more are yours to claim in your own life.

Use them to anchor your soul in Jesus to help you walk your faith journey with confidence and peace.

Claiming the Promises of God by Faith

Here are some things to keep in mind:

•Be sure to keep Scripture in context when claiming His promises. When the Lord promised Abraham a son with his aged wife, Sarah, that was strictly for their situation.

•God gives us His promises because He knew we would need them to direct us and to stand firm in this broken world. But some are conditional promises that come with instructions that require obedience on our part.

Here are two examples:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV.

When we do the first three things, we can trust in His promise to direct our paths.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4.

Delighting in the Lord means we experience great pleasure and joy in His presence (even in the midst of trouble.) As we know Him more and more, He brings great joy into our lives.

Our hearts and desires change, becoming more like His. The desire for things of the world dwindles away; replaced by the love of God’s friendship and love in our life.

Praying God’s Promises

God made promises to David in 2 Samuel Chapter 7 through the prophet Nathan. David immediately went before God and prayed:

“And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. “ 2 Samuel 7:25 ESV.

David was boldly praying that he trusted God to fulfill His word to him and we can do the same. Try praying one promise each day and watch His power work in your life! ♥

How to Pray the Promises of God

Find a Bible verse that speaks to your need. Use one of the many promises here or type in “Bible verses about ____”. Reflect on how the words relate to your life.

Read it aloud as if He is speaking the verse to you. Then make the promise your own. For example, if you are dealing with loneliness, use Matthew 28:20 (“I am with you always”):

Jesus, I am so lonely. I know that you see me and are with me and will never leave. Help me to feel your comforting presence as I sit here now. Guide and direct my life to people and actions that will be fruitful and alleviate my loneliness. Give me strength to reach out to others. In your precious name, Amen.

Sometimes we must wait for His promises to come to fruition, but in faith, we know He will answer.

Isn’t it reassuring that our faithful God always keeps His promises? We can live with the peace of God and be at rest because He has promised it.

We don’t have to rely on ourselves or others for perfect comfort, love, or strength. When all else is gone, His promises remain. Dig into God’s Word and discover His promises for yourself!

Reflection:

What promises from God have you noticed on your pathway of life today?

Which one of the above was your favorite promise?

Blessings!

AnnMarie

Click on the image below to access these free Promises of God Scripture Cards in my Resource Page! (Scroll down to “Scripture Cards.”)

All Scripture is from the NIV unless specified otherwise.

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